Dicas Para Músicos: Evite Estes Erros Antes de Fazer Suas Apresentações

Tips For Gigging Musicians: Avoid Making These Common Mistakes

First of all thanks to Steve Banik for this article.

Whether you’re new to playing live or you’re a gig veteran, you’re not immune to some of the common pitfalls of playing live. In this post I’ll describe how to avoid some of the downsides of live engagements.

I have assembled groups and booked gigs, but I have primarily played keyboards as a sideman in the 25 or so bands I’ve been a member of since 1994. I have played regularly in Indianapolis, Nashville, Chicago and Madison WI, and I currently play regularly with 2 jazz groups in the Madison area.

In part one of my two part post, I’ll explore several topics and will share my experience with leading a band, booking shows, promoting, working with live sound engineers, getting paid and writing contracts.

In part two, we’ll look more closely at money (again), co-writing, guest players, substitute players and travel/accommodations.

With that, here are some key concepts followed by some comments based on my experience:

Don’t Get Short Changed

When I toured professionally in Nashville, I was a member of the American Federation of Musicians. For each of our live TV show performances, we named a different band member as band leader. This was so that person could collect a larger paycheck through the union as leader. I think this is a good idea, but you don’t want to rely on it and you should beware of the possibility of getting shorted.

For example, say there are 5 members in your band and you end up doing 4 TV dates in the calendar year. Simple math – one person isn’t going to get leader pay. The intentions were good but one band member never saw the payday that the other band members saw. That sets up the potential for resentmentwithin the band which can be toxic.

If you’re touring as a sideman for a major label artist, consider setting a goal for yourself to eventually become bandleader of that or another band. This helps to develop your leadership skills and will open the doors to a multitude of opportunities. Touring with major label artists allows you to play with some of the best musicians in the world.

Relax, You Did Everything You Could Do

If you’re the band leader and you book a show, on the day of the gig make sure you designate some time before the downbeat to get yourself into a music frame of mind. I have found myself struggling through the first couple of songs because I was still thinking about how I’d find the agent after the gig to give her back the parking passes, how I’d forgotten to get enough cash to pay the sub after the show, that I didn’t have time to eat dinner before the show and I wondered if I’d be able to eat before 10pm, etc.

These are not the kinds of thoughts you want running through your mind as you play your first solo. For me, all it takes is 10 minutes of silence and privacy to get into the musical frame of mind. At crowded venues this is hard to do – sometimes a bathroom stall is the most privacy you’ll get – but it works.

Promote, but Don’t Spam Your Fans

Take the time to promote your gig on Facebook and Twitter, but don’t spam your followers. Be sure to tag the venue and/or the booking agent in your post so that they’re aware you’re promoting too. It’s also a good idea to list the gig in the entertainment section in the online edition of your local newspaper and/or TV station websites. The listings are almost always free.

A couple of years ago, I discovered that the community editor for one of our local newspapers noticed one of my listings and he wrote a short piece about my upcoming show in the events section of the newspaper. It was an unexpected promotional boost ahead of the event and as an added bonus I was able to link back to the article in my social media posts.

Everything Is Negotiable (Remember That)

I’m a firm believer that all bars and restaurants with live music should provide at least some food and/or beverages to all of the musicians. Sadly, in some bars and restaurants, food and drink is the only form of “pay” you’ll receive – no show pay, just a $25 gift certificate and maybe some free tap beer. These venues clearly don’t value your time and services, they just see you as a way to keep warm bodies at the bar for a longer period of time.

Some venues do buyouts (a small amount of cash per band member instead of food/drink) but usually they won’t do this for you unless you ask. It doesn’t hurt to ask – the worst they can say is no? If you don’t get what you wanted in one area, ask for something in another – for example, a small bump in pay for the next gig. Everything is negotiable.

One of the best outcomes of good negotiating is that it shows that you take your profession seriously and that you and your band acts accordingly. Also make sure you understand how and when you’ll be paid. If you are the band leader, keep enough cash on hand to pay your band once the gig ends in case the venue pays you with a check.

I have had to run to the ATM after a gig so that I could pay my band when the venue unexpectedly presented me with a check. I recommend that band leaders sign up for Square since some venues might like to pay via credit card, plus with Square you no longer have to wait and worry about a check clearing.

Money In The Bank

It’s a good idea to ask the venue for a deposit, especially for one-off private events. When signed contracts aren’t present, I look at a deposit as earnest money. It shows the buyer’s good faith in the transaction. I think it also makes it harder for either side to back out of the deal.

Contracts Help Prevent Cancellations

Cancellations are a pain, but they do happen. So far it has probably occurred to me less than 10 times in my career. If you’re the band member, there’s not much you can do to prevent the cancellation nor is there an avenue of recourse if it’s not your fault and you don’t have a contract.

Usually the gig is just rescheduled, but I have seen gigs get cancelled when the venue suddenly decides they’d like to have another band for that particular night. It doesn’t happen often, but it does happen. Stay away from venues like this. If you have a contract, specify a cancellation period with the full final total payable to you in the event of a cancellation.

The Pecking Order

Avoid gigs where the sound engineer is paid first followed by the band. There shouldn’t be a pecking order because it usually means someone is about to get shorted. In addition, the crowd didn’t pack the bar to see the sound guy, they came to see your band. Great live sound engineers are hard to find and are worth their weight in gold, but if you’re stuck doing a gig in a mediocre venue with a mediocre engineer that’s paid before everyone else, make that the last gig you ever do there.

I hope you found this information useful. Stay tuned for part two, and feel free to contact me with questions or comments. Thanks to Greg Savage for posting this and for continuing to provide valuable information for composers seeking commercial placements.

8 Maneiras Para Compor Músicas Mais Eficientemente

Eight Ways To Compose Music More Effectively

We’ve all been there.

Struggling to come up with a melody or working out that perfect ending for your song.

This is one of the most frustrating aspects of composing music, especially when you are working towards a deadline. This article contains a few suggestions on how to compose more effectively.

1) Don’t disregard your ideas too quickly

This happens all too often with composers and songwriters, who do not persevere with their ideas for long enough. If you start over too often, you will go round on circles and not get anywhere. This quote by one of the most famous inventors of all time is certainly very true when it comes to composing music.

“Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration”- Thomas Edison

Obviously there are occasions when you should start again, but only do this after exploring all the different ways of developing your ideas.

2) Write something every day

This follows on from the previous point in displaying perseverance as a songwriter. Unfortunately, you cannot assume you will write X number of bars each day. Composition does not work that way as you will have more productive days than others.

However, by doing just something each day, no matter how little, you will feel a sense of progress that will keep you motivated to finish your composition.

3) Go for a walk before you start composing

Rather than dive straight into your music making at the crack of dawn, go for a walk first. The extra oxygen from all the fresh air helps you focus better when you compose and you may come up with some interesting musical ideas or lyrics from just being inspired by nature and your surroundings.

4) Listen to your music with fresh ears

Take regular breaks when you compose as your ears get tired listening to the same repeated loops and musical ideas. Have you ever wondered why you create some music one day, and the next morning you sometimes feel deflated with what you hear? If you work for too long on the same passage of music, your ears learn to accept what they are hearing. This is especially true for mixing your tracks using music software.

5) Write out a structure

Planning a composition in advance really works wonders in certain situations. If you are writing some film music, it is essential to have a structure in mind in order for your music to fit the scene. However, it could be argued that planning too much can stifle true creativity. You should try composing both ways and see what works for you, but it generally helps to have a rough plan in mind when you write music.

6) Seek the advice of other musicians and friends

Often you need a second opinion on your work. If you hit a dead end with your composition, ask your friends to hear your music and ask their advice on what to do next. Even people you regard as non-musicians can often surprise you with their suggestions. Ensure you take any criticism constructively and ask what they like or don’t like about your music.

7) Write in a style you have never done before

This can really help to improve you as a musician and develop a real interest in composing. If you write hip-hop music, have a go at writing a jazz composition. If you compose film music, try your hand at creating a dubstep track. This may seem a bit off the wall, but it keeps you fresh as a composer and exposes you to new and interesting styles of music. Just spend time listening to new genres of music and go for it!

8) Learn from other composers, songwriters and producers

Figure out how your favourite musicians develop their ideas, as it will certainly help you create ideas yourself. You could visit their websites to see if they offer any advice on composing or producing.

Por Dentro Da Guerra Do Youtube Com A Indústria Da Música

Inside YouTube's War With the Music Industry

Beck, Taylor Swift and Kings of Leon's Caleb Followill are among the high-profile artists who have appealed to Congress to regulate what music can stream on YouTube.

Last year, Deadmau5 sent his lawyer, Dina LaPolt, a Skype message: "Please shut this down." He'd found a YouTube channel with 400 unauthorized videos containing his songs: album tracks, remixes and full live shows. "We had to have a paralegal sit in my office for six hours and send 400 takedowns," says LaPolt. "After that, the channel shut down – and it popped up again two days later. It's a big issue for him." 

YouTube, with more than 1 billion users, is the most popular source for music streaming on the Internet. But it's become a source of frustration for artists including Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney, Beck, Kings of Leon and others, who recently signed an open letter to Congress calling for reform on the law that allows YouTube to host millions of unauthorized videos. "The artist has no choice – their music is on YouTube even if they don't want it there," says Irving Azoff, manager of acts such as the Eagles and Van Halen. Azoff has published a separate letter to YouTube, calling for action on two issues: its relatively small royalty payments to artists, and its inability to efficiently remove content from the site.

The music business has less bargaining power than ever: As album sales have fallen about 60 percent in the past decade, YouTube has become increasingly important – 98 percent of American Internet users ages 18 to 24 visit the site – and the company says its ad sales have delivered $3 billion to artists and content creators. "YouTube has become radio for kids," says Ken Levitan, who manages Kings of Leon, Cheap Trick and others. 

But unlike radio, Azoff says, YouTube is a bad business partner. It allows leaked material and poor-quality live music to stay online. And it pays far less on average than streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music. "YouTube revenue for a superstar artist is a joke," says Azoff. "Their accountings are too complicated and opaque to give an accurate per-stream number. They're acting like an old record company by making the accountings so difficult, the artist remains in the dark."

Like any site, YouTube can stream material without artists' permission thanks to 1998's Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The law allows companies to post copyrighted content online if they agree to take it down upon request. But in the YouTube age, this means artists' representatives need to monitor hundreds of millions of new videos every day. YouTube says it has addressed the issue, spending $60 million to build a "Content ID" program, which uses digital "fingerprints" to identify pirated material.

This system catches 99.5 percent of copyrighted material, says Robert Kyncl, YouTube's chief business officer. "I challenge somebody to find a better system of copyright management anywhere," says Kyncl. "It's been nearly a decade of us investing in the system when no one else does anything."

Azoff says YouTube's 99.5 percent claim isn't good enough: He estimates that the videos it doesn't catch account for "48 million unauthorized plays per day. That still requires an army to manually claim the remaining videos." 

"YouTube destroys my business and makes money by enabling theft worldwide." –Steve Miller

Some artists hire private services to manage the flood of content. Queen uses Believe Digital, a music-distribution company that employs a 40-person staff, to issue takedown notices or monetize unofficial videos. "If we don't want something, we block it," says Denis Ladegaillerie, the company's chief executive. "If we want it available, we make money. It's a significant source of revenue that did not exist before." Other artists throw up their hands: "YouTube destroys my business and makes money by enabling theft worldwide," says Steve Miller, whose material, including full albums like Greatest Hits 1974-1978, can be found on YouTube.

Azoff points out that YouTube can fully control content when it wants to – it keeps pornography off, plus it charges $10 per month to watch original shows. "Taylor Swift should be able to decide which of her songs are available for free and which are part of a paid subscription service," he wrote. His proposal? For YouTube and its parent company, Google, to join him in lobbying Congress to reform the DMCA. So far neither is onboard, and the tech industry's response has been lukewarm ("Note to Irving Azoff: YouTube Doesn't Need Change. You Do," read a recent Fortune headline).

Corynne McSherry, legal director for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which advocates for digital rights, points out Azoff may be forgetting that things have gotten better in recent years: "I don't think copyright owners appreciate what they got. In 1997, if you wanted to get music taken offline, you had to go to court."

But Azoff isn't backing down. "Some of us believe we live in an era of government by Google," he says. "Their power to influence Washington is unprecedented. But you can't walk away from a fight just because it is going to be hard."

" Ruim Para A Indústria" Os Artistas Da Spotify Sussurram E Troy Carter Combate a Exclusividades

'Bad for the Industry': Spotify's Artist Whisperer Troy Carter Slams Exclusives, Updates Company's Subscriber Total

Carter is intent on strengthening “the bridge between Spotify and the music community.”

Carter also reveals that Spotify now has 39 million paid subscribers, up from 30 million in March.

In June, when Atom Factory founder/CEO Troy Carter announced he was joining Spotify as global head of creator services, many music executives thought he would be securing his new employer exclusive releases, a la Apple Music's deals for Frank Ocean's Endless and Chance the Rapper's Coloring Book. But on a recent afternoon at the company's New York office in Chelsea, Carter, 43, declares that "exclusives are bad for artists, bad for consumers and bad for the whole industry." 

Instead, he half-jokingly promises "Spotify inclusives."

Since most users will never subscribe to more than one streaming service, he believes that limiting access to music only incentivizes fans to seek it out on pirate sites or YouTube, where it generates less revenue. "I was brought onboard to strengthen the bridge between Spotify and the music community," he says.

Frank Ocean's Album Is the Straw that Broke Universal Music's Back (and It May Get Him Sued)

With Apple and rival Tidal continuing to make exclusive deals and Amazon said to be planning its own music streaming service, Carter will be making his case for wide releases to labels, managers and artists, and he'll have the wind at his back: He tells Billboard that Spotify now has more than 39 million paid subscribers (up from 30 million in March), whereas Apple Music announced 15 million subscribers in June.

That means Spotify -- which is planning to go public in the second half of 2017, according to Bloomberg Businessweek -- is adding subscribers faster than ever. And it increasingly exposes users to new music, provides marketing for artists and helps sell concert tickets.

"That goes beyond distribution," says Carter. "We can become a full-stack solution for artists."

Construa Um Auto falante "Frankenstein" Que Você Sempre Sonhou Com o Sonic Blocks

Build the Frankensteinian speaker you’ve always dreamed of with Sonic Blocks

Enter Sonic Blocks, the product of a father-and-son team recently launched Indiegogo that takes a much more flexible approach to sound. As the name implies, the Sonic Blocks system is modular, allowing the customer to choose between different woofers, tweeters, and midrange drivers in addition to more cosmetic touches like lights.

“Sonic Blocks is a unique new modular approach to audio/music system design that allows users to quickly and easily swap or add individual speakers to meet their individual preferences and needs,” Sonic Blocks co-founder and CEO Scott Wilker told Digital Trends. “The virtually limitless expansion options and future-proof architecture of Sonic Blocks makes other music systems obsolete.”

Whether or not the system is so revolutionary you’ll want to throw out your home stereo or other speakers remains to be seen, the specs do look pretty impressive. Not only is Bluetooth connectivity supported, but Wi-Fi and DTS Play-Fi are as well, while wired connections are available in both analog and digital forms, with S/PDIF, TOUSLING, and USB connectors available.

Actual performance will vary based on the configuration, but the class D amplifier is claimed to be capable of producing over 90 dB SPL at one meter distance, which would mean plenty of volume. The lithium ion battery is described as offering over 15 hours of playback, though again, this could vary based on any number of factors. Light panels not only pulse to the music, but can show Wi-Fi strength, battery power, and more.

Backers can pledge as little as $25, but to actually get your hands on a speaker, you’ll have to pay at least $200, and that’s for the limited edition starter bundle, of which only 50 units are available. Most backers will have to spring for at least the $430 Double Stack, which includes one “brain,” two “exoskeleton” housings, two tweeters, four full-range drivers, three bass drivers, and a total of nine speaker grilles.

For $530, a sound bar kit is available that uses a similar component list for a more home theater-oriented setup. For those looking to spend even more, a $650 twin stereo kit is available as well as a $1,600 kit offering multiroom functionality for up to a total of five rooms. While the kits offer a starting point, users can mix and match components as they wish.

The 30-day campaign is looking to raise a total of $50,000, but this is a flexible funding campaign, so the creators intend to move forward no matter the outcome. If everything goes according to plan, finished units will ship in early 2017, but potential backers should keep in mind that as with all other crowdfunding campaigns, there is a level of risk here. For more information, see the Sonic Blocks campaign page on Indiegogo.

Rádio - Os Erros Que As Bandas "Indie" Fazem

Two Radio Submission Pet-Peeves (Mistakes Indie Artists Make) 

Back in the day, when I started out as a baby radio DJ, artists would send me their brand spanking new music on promo CDs or even white label vinyl, remember those?!

These days it’s all done online. It’s easier to just email an EPK, accompanied with the latest single, EP or album to a radio station, radio show or independent music promoters like myself. But sadly enough, with easiness comes laziness and artists stop thinking things through:

Low Quality MP3s

Great! You’ve just finished recording your awesome new album or EP, picked a single and it’s time to get your ear candy out there, to the masses. And there’s no better way than getting it played on the radio, right?!

So here you are, grabbing your highly paid mastered WAV file, converting it into a 128 or 160 kbps MP3, sending it off with an impressive EPK to radio stations. Finally, you can kick back and relax, it’s just a matter of time before you can hear yourself on the radio, every artist or band’s wet dream!

Wrong! ‘Cause the file you’ve just sent, is like licking a passed down lollipop!

The thing you should know about radio stations, they have a certain broadcast quality to maintain. The audio isn’t allowed to lose the high audio frequencies required for realistic sound reproduction. In other words, your audio must not suck! You won’t listen to a radio station with poor, telephone-ish audio either, right?

Converting your mastered WAV file into 128 or 160 MP3 will cost you your audio quality. It will get so compressed, the full audio sound you’ve paid for at the recording studio will be cut in at least half. And if you’re doing it because of the file size, so emailing it to radio shows or stations becomes easier, don’t! Most only accept WAV files, or if you get real lucky, the highest MP3 quality (320 kbps).

And if you’re still not convinced yet, grab some kid’s lollipop and start licking! Doesn’t taste as good without that full candy flavour, does it…

Dirty Versions

Now I’m not gonna discuss artistic freedom (of speech) here, or the fact some artists throw in profanity just because they feel they can. Personally, I don’t give a doo-doo!

But picture this: you’ve invested a lot of time & money by recording your next hit single and getting it mastered by a professional. It does contains profanity, but hey, ‘this track is the sh*t yo!’ And getting radio airplay would be the bomb, right?!

Wrong! While it’s allowed in some countries to use profanity on radio or TV, like The Netherlands, in most countries it isn’t! If you’re, for example, from the US or UK, you should already know that. So why do you keep sending radio stations your dirty version, while you know it will never ride the airwaves? And radio stations won’t edit a clean version for you, how dope your track might be!

In the end, you’re not only wasting your own time but also of the music director. And trust me, when you do send them a clean version next time around, they probably won’t listen to it because they think it’s contains profanity, just like last time.

So, next time you’re recording a track including profanity, cut a clean version as well. ‘Cause you are creating music to be heard by as many people possible, right? And as bonus tip, why don’t you do the same for your music video…

Google Poderia Ser Maior Em Streaming de Música Do Que Você Pensa

Google could be bigger in streaming music than you think

Google's music streaming apps are a bit of a mystery.

Despite having a robust app in Play Music—in my opinion the best streaming app there is—and a hot new thing in YouTube Music, Google has released zero subscriber data and therefore is often left out in comparisons with Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, and the rest.

We gathered some outside data for a closer look.

First, a survey of Android users from 7Park Data shows that Play Music is neck-in-neck with Spotify for daily active users in the US:

7Park Data

Meanwhile, YouTube Music's current daily active user rate is a mere 0.2%, according to 7Park Data.

Play Music isn’t doing quite as well among international Android users:

7Park Data

It helps that Google, which makes Android, has started putting Play Music on most devices:

7Park Data

Next, predictive data from Sensor Tower shows that Play Music downloads are growing slow but steady on iOS, while YouTube Music downloads are on fire. That said, Spotify and Pandora are still in the lead.

From top to bottom: Pandora, Spotify, YouTube Music, SoundCloud, iHeartRadio, Play Music, and Tidal. Sensor Tower