Power Field Studio

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terça-feira, 24 de janeiro de 2017

15 Coisa Que Você Deve Fazer Na Indústria Da Música

15 Things You Must Do to Make it in the Music Industry


First of all thanks to Nick Gunn for this article.



Wondering how to make it in the music industry? In this guest post, TakeLessons Teacher and music industry veteran Nick Gunn shares 15 tips musicians can’t afford to ignore… 
I’m not particularly famous (in most people’s eyes) and I’m certainly not financially wealthy (in Wall Street’s eyes); I’m just a guy who has pretty much done it all in the music business with some major successes, and some even larger major flops!
Just so we are all on the same page: I am a part of the approximate 98% of all music artists, music producers, and other music professionals who didn’t wake up one morning and put on their famous pants.
Yes, we exist! In fact, we are the majority. Sure, I can boast about my great track record in sales and the awesome albums I’ve produced, but the truth is I struggle like most music artists.
I’ve sold close to two million records but no one would recognize me, and the bulk of those royalties are all gone now. I also owned and ran a 75 artist roster label that died in the 2008 recession with the closing down of record retail.
Basically… I’m the perfect guy to write this article. I’m a music industry survivor and I’m still doing it!
Not only am I still doing it, but, shockingly, I’m still extremely optimistic and still finding new successes from what I have learned. So with pessimism aside, here are my top 15 tips on making it in today’s music business.

LET’S GET OUR HEADS ON STRAIGHT FIRST!

In this section, we’ll cover tips to help you get your head in the music game.

1. Be Optimistic at Every Turn

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It’s the only true survival tool you have that you can control. If you start with undying optimism you will be more resistant against the neglect you may feel when first starting out.
Trust me, this will be tested!
Try not to take things personally, as the barrier to entry in the music business is set incredibly high.
There are approximately 80,000 albums released every year, of which Billboard and other associated charts report on a revolving Top 200. That’s 0.25% of the total releases each year that are moving and shaking enough to get on the radar.
Still feeling optimistic? Keep reading….

2. Observe Excellence and Be Excellent at Your Craft

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This applies to everything you do!
It all starts with the music you listen to. Sometimes, society can train us to lower our expectations by convincing us mediocrity is acceptable. It is not. Excellence is at your fingertips, it simply needs to be understood and observed.
Study carefully from music teachers who are well versed in music theory and music appreciation. Study those who are successful in music and what they have done.
Listen to everything, no matter what the genre, and try to see the beauty in everything that is music, despite your personal preferences.
The foundation you lay now with your acceptance and understanding of these basic essentials will define who you will be in your own music career.

3. Be Careful Who You Take Advice From

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People often tend to seek advice from those who have been unusually successful. It’s a natural human tendency to do so.
But remember, the best advice always comes from those who have failed and are painfully aware of their mistakes.

4. Form a Strong Professional Peer Group as Your Sounding Board

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Family and friends are great but they are often too biased to give proper guidance and advice when it comes to your music.
Music professionals tend to give more constructive guidance and can set more realistic goals and expectations.
Remember: Grandma will most likely love everything you do, no matter what, so don’t take her advice too seriously!

5. Know That No One Simply Gets Up and Puts on Their Famous Pants

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The road to success in the music business is never a straight one. By the time an artist breaks into mainstream consciousness there is always a story to tell about how and when it all happened.
Unfortunately, the bulk of your new fans will never experience this part of your journey. The illusion is, to the general public, that one day you woke up, wrote a song, and put on your famous pants.
Don’t let the long and winding path to your success get you down, it’s totally normal!

SETTING UP YOUR MUSIC BUSINESS PROPERLY

This section is all about the business of making music, and making sure you get paid.

6. Understand What the Top Revenue Streams are in the Music Business

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Touring, Publishing, and Branding.
These top three revenue makers in the music industry encompass a wide range of sub-topics, but it’s important you understand how you can make money from these three main sources.
Touring: Touring and playing live is self explanatory. Festivals in particular are currently at an all time attendance high. It’s about getting the fans to your shows and having the promoters wanting you on stage.
Publishing: Writing and recording original music can ensure you own both your master rights and your performance/mechanical rights, giving you the ability to publish and control your own works.
Branding: Branding requires that your image and likeness – your logos, who you are and what you represent – are clear and aligned with similar products that aggrandize your musical mission.
I highly recommend reading This Business of Music, which is currently in it’s tenth edition, as a reference guide to your business future.

7. Incorporate Your Brand

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At first you most likely will be pinching pennies at every turn, so be smart about your cash flow and your spending!
One way to do this is by incorporating so you can receive tax breaks and manage your cash flow and expenses properly. It can also protect you as an individual and be more effective in financial growth.
Honestly, it’s not that hard. Just go to LegalZoom.com and spend the $500 to start your own LLC, or whatever structure company you want.

8. Learn How to Produce Your Own Music

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Let’s face it, the days of needing big recording studios is long gone.
I have constantly given this advice from the beginning and the result is always the same. Those who learn how to produce their own music have a much higher chance at success.
Not only does it make you well versed at your craft but it makes you highly authentic with your sound.
Yes, there is a learning curve. Sure, it’s gonna take some time and money.
But if you are serious and passionate about your music, this will be an amazing experience for you. Gear today is accessible and affordable and you can set up shop in your parents closet, if need be.
Make it work for you! Your recorded music is your calling card to your artistry, so start producing now.

9. Register Your Works

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If you are writing and recording your own music then you need to have a clear understanding of what Performing Rights Societies are and how they collect money for you!
In the United States you primarily have ASCAP and BMI (which collect on the same thing, so only register for one) and also SoundExchange.
These societies monitor performances of your works (ie. when your song is played on the radio, TV, a film, etc) and pay you – the writer/composer and/or publisher/administrator – according to how you have these works registered with the society.
If you are the sole writer then you will receive the entire share of the writer’s revenue stream. If you are also the Administrator/Publisher (which you are if your works are original and you’re putting them out yourself) you’ll collect the entire share of publishing revenue stream, as well. So make sure you register as both a writer and a publisher!
Yes, this requires some investigation but it’s important you do the work – this is money while you sleep, people!
So, if you haven’t already, you should look up ASCAP, BMI, and SoundExchange. Registering is easy; it will seriously take you less then ten minutes.

10. Understand What a Copyright Is

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Copyrighting is a process used to protect your works from theft. The United States Copyright Office offers a verified method that is used universally to acknowledge protected works.
However, in today’s age, time stamps on computers (that created the work) or using your originating publisher information, as well as sending self addressed, date stamped copies through the mail to yourself, can all suffice as proof of ownership.
Contrary to popular belief, deliberate music copyright infringement is quite rare. It often mistakenly occurs as we all emulate what we have heard over our lifetimes.
Also, choosing to flagrantly rip off music does nothing to benefit your career in the face of your peers.

11. Distribute Your Music Effectively

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It used to be that having your music distributed was reserved for signed artists to large record labels. That is no longer the case!
There are many distributors, large and small, now operating in the music and media business.
Some are harder to establish relationships with, however companies such as CD Baby are now at your fingertips and offer emerging artists a way to get their music in stores such as iTunes, Amazon, Beatport, and many others.
Music streaming platforms are now an integral part of how people listen to your music, so be sure you are well represented at sites such as iTunes, Spotify, and Pandora for streaming services.
Also, make sure you are visible on apps such as Shazam, as it’s an extremely effective way for fans to locate your music without knowing your name or the song.

12. Have a Clear Focus on Social Media Platforms

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This is a topic that rarely needs significant discussion, as everyone today is a social media pro. However, it’s important you separate personal social from business social, even though they may appear to be the same.
Make sure your social media platforms are engaging fans and representing your overall brand.
You don’t always have to post about your music. Make sure you are talking about related topics to the music industry, your favorite artists and things you love as an artist too!
Social media is a lot of work and can consume hours per day for most professional musicians. Try using tools that blast all social platforms at the same time or buffer posts throughout the day.
Having a great team player for your social media will soon become a top priority for you.

13. Create an Amazing Team

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This takes time and can be in constant flux. However, you can’t do this all by yourself.
If you look carefully at the most successful music careers you will see that it’s the team that creates the success, not the individual or band alone. Labels, managers, booking agents, publicists and social media all go into making a well oiled team.
Recognize talent in others and hold them close to your chest. It’s about surrounding yourself with talented and highly motivated people that believe in you and bring resources to the table.
Granted, getting the attention of the right team players is a difficult task. However, Rome was not built in one day and staying the course is part of what makes you attractive to influential team players.

MAINTENANCE OF A GREAT MUSIC CAREER

Now that you’re a success, keep on going! Use these tips to continue developing your career in music.

14. Stay The Course

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There’s a saying I often use that relates to success in the music business: “If you play golf long enough in a lightning storm you will eventually get struck by lightning.”
This basically means that you must stay the course, not deviate, and have faith that eventually your hard work will pay off. This is the same for artists that have already received success.
Sooner or later, every artist must redefine their path moving forward. As in most business, every five years you should take inventory of where you are in your career and map out the next five years with your team.

15. Don’t Bite the Hand That Feeds You

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I am actually a perpetrator of this one.
Music artists, including myself when I was younger, can have a slightly egotistical view of their music and persona after they receive some success.
We often think that the success we are receiving is the result of “my music,” “my hard work,” “my talent,” etc and make unusual requests of labels and team players.
There is no positive outcome here. Being a diva never results in long term success, it simply results in having a bad reputation.

BONUS: Give Back and Mentor

The generation behind you needs your support and wisdom. Reach out, donate money to arts and education, teach, mentor!
There is nothing more gratifying to the soul than watching a young person flourish from what you have shown them.
If you are experiencing success, donate to a cause that provides opportunity to underprivileged kids so they can experience something larger than themselves – the gift of music!
Well, there you have it. I hope you soaked some of this in and can use it on your musical journey. Good luck and keep on rocking!

segunda-feira, 23 de janeiro de 2017

U2 - 'Joshua Tree' Turnê Vende 1,1 Milhão De Tickets Em 24 Horas

After 'Joshua Tree' Tour Sells 1.1 Million Tickets in 24 Hours, U2 Adds Shows


U2 has sold a staggering 1.1 million tickets in 24 hours for its 30th anniversary global tour of The Joshua Tree. The trek kicks off May 12 in Vancouver before hitting the U.S. and Europe, and features openers Mumford & SonsOneRepublicand The Lumineers in North America and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds in Europe.
The run also includes U2’s first ever U.S. festival headline appearance at the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival  as well as a hometown show in Dublin’s Croke Park on July 22. Following the sell-outs, the tour added additional dates -- May 21 at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles, June 29th at MetLife Stadium in E. Rutherford, and June 4th at Soldier Field in Chicago -- as well as additional performances in London, Rome, Paris and Amsterdam.
Says U2 manager Guy Oseary: "With U2, I'm a fan first and manager second. I'm really happy that after all the sell-outs, we could add a few more shows so more fans can have the chance to experience this once-in-a lifetime tour. I wish we could go everywhere."
The band's tour, management and Bonnaroo appearance are all vertically integrated under the vast Live Nation umbrella: U2's tour is being produced by Live Nation Global Touring; Maverick's Oseary took over the U2 management reigns in 2013 from the band's longtime manager Paul McGuiness in a deal that merged their companies under Live Nation (and which has grown substantiallysince); and the world's No. 1 promoter bought a controlling interest in Bonnaroo from regional promoters Superfly and AC Entertainment nearly two years ago.
The Joshua Tree jaunt is U2’s first stadium tour since the 2009 through 2011 360trek, which entered the history books with a gross of more than $736,137,344 and total attendance of 7,268,430, both the highest tour tallies ever reported to Billboard.
Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno produced The Joshua Tree, U2’s fifth studio LP and first U.S. chart-topper. The album contained such hits as "With or Without You," "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and "Where the Streets Have No Name."

Never Mind - Continua Atual Mesmo Depois De 25 anos

Never mind: Still In Bloom 25 years on







We recently marked the fifth anniversary of the death of Amy Winehouse in Headliner, and in the same year we are now fast approaching the 25th anniversary of the truly remarkable album, Nevermind, by Nirvana. It’s very well documented that Winehouse joined the fabled 27 Club, a poignant collection of musicians whose struggles with addictions and/or depression would not allow them to reach 30 years of age. The soul sensation is in good company with the likes of Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, and Nirvana’s reluctant voice of a generation, Kurt Cobain. 
Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse’s parallels go far beyond passing away at the same age. They both made music that was entirely their own, and possessed personalities and fashion sensibilities that defied the mainstream, and made them beloved among their fans (Nirvana fans gather each year at Wishkah River in Washington, where Cobain's ashes were scattered, to pay tribute on the anniversary of his death).
But most vitally, their contributions to music were both immeasurable and lasting. That is most encapsulated in Nirvana's second album, Nevermind, released on 24th September 1991. It followed Bleach, Nirvana's debut, which made waves within Seattle's grunge scene, but Nevermind was on a whole other level. Cobain, the band’s chief songwriter, was less interested in straight punk music, and became fascinated with alternative rock bands such as the Pixies, REM, and the Melvins. He began writing songs of a more melodic nature to reflect this, and particularly emulating the Pixies' approach of contrasting quiet sections with very loud choruses, verses, and bridge sections. Nirvana released the single Sliver in 1990 to prepare fans for their change in sound.
COME AS YOU ARE
With drummer, Chad Channing, leaving the group around this time, a big moment was the recruitment of Dave Grohl, who would record drums with the band for the first time on Nevermind. The band decided to work with producer, Butch Vig, at the suggestion of their label’s owner, Bruce Pavitt, of Sub Pop. At this time, the as yet unrecorded album was going by the name Sheep, a stab at the herd mentality of the music industry and the consumers of it. 
Butch Vig told Headliner that, initially, working with Nirvana was a smooth process: 
“The recording of Nevermind was actually really easy; we did the whole record in 16 days," he said. "Everyone thinks Nirvana had a slacker mentality, but that’s not true at all – they wanted to make a great sounding record, and once Dave Grohl joined the band, they were just rock solid tight.”
Bassist, Kris Novoselic, and Grohl finished recording their parts in a matter of days; Cobain, meanwhile, would often finish the lyrics for songs five minutes before recording his vocals. The main point of contention rested with overdubs – Cobain was completely averse to recording multiple takes, perceiving it to be a pop music technique. Vig often had to trick him into recording them, and was only able to convince Cobain to record overdubs on the song In Bloom by telling him, 'John Lennon did it'. 
“Something In the Way was the only song on the record that was overdubbed start to end,” Vig told us. “We started with Kurt’s guitar and vocal, then we’d add stuff on top of that. The album was very traditionally recorded.”
Vig’s success in convincing the band to compromise on some of their desire to use only pure punk rock recording techniques was instrumental in the huge commercial success of Nevermind – without the inclusion of subtleties like overdubs, it’s possible the album wouldn’t have such an all-encompassing appeal. And also very noteworthy was the rapport he established with Cobain, who was said to either be very motivated during the sessions, or sat in the corner, not saying a word to anyone for an hour. The band were also displeased with the mixing of the album by Andy Wallace, with Cobain saying it sounded 'closer to a Mötley Crüe record than a punk rock record'. 
Cobain came up with the idea of the underwater baby cover photo while watching a programme about water births with Dave Grohl. Now signed with major label, Geffen, Nirvana’s management were concerned about the photo, and set about finding a less graphic photograph to use. However they relented when Cobain made it clear he would accept either only the original picture, or the same one with a sticker covering the penis saying 'if you’re offended by this, you must be a closet paedophile'.
IN BLOOM
The staff at Geffen had relatively modest targets for Nevermind – they hoped that if everyone worked hard, they could sell around 250,000 copies. Instead, they found themselves putting all other album production on hold as they scrambled to meet demand for the album, as lead single, Smells Like Teen Spirit, became exponentially huge in popularity. MTV had originally only planned to show the song’s music video on late night alternative shows, but quickly began airing it during the daytime, as Nevermind became certified gold, Novoselic said of this success: "Yeah, I was happy about it. It was pretty cool. It was kind of neat. But I don't give a shit about some kind of achievement like that. It's cool—I guess."
The pinnacle of Nevermind's success came when it pipped Michael Jackson off the top of the Billboard 100 in November 1991, selling approximately 300,000 copies a week. The legendary songs Come As You AreLithium, and In Bloom would follow the success of Smells Like Teen Spirit as they were released as singles. Today, it has sold more than 12 million copies worldwide. In terms of impact, the release of Nevermind has been compared to the explosion of rock and roll in the 1950s – Nirvana made alternative rock and grunge a commercially viable genre that was neither exclusively for a mainstream audience or the band’s indie following. Rock music would simply not be where it is today without it.
In particular, it is one of the few pivotal albums that became the voice of a generation. When placing Nevermind at number 17 in their greatest albums of all time list, Rolling Stone wrote that 'no album in recent history had such an overpowering impact on a generation—a nation of teens suddenly turned punk—and such a catastrophic effect on its main creator.' 
Smells Like Teen Spirit is regarded as one of the greatest punk anthems ever written. Since its release, the music was heavily imitated, and can still be heard in hundreds of bands today; Cobain’s gravelly voice, his use of chorus pedals in verses and distortion pedals in the chorus, and the nuance and contrast in his songwriting. Not to mention Novoselic’s detuned bass playing and Grohl’s hard-hitting drumming, which had such a galvanising effect on the group. 
We strongly urge you to honour Nevermind with a start to finish listen as we celebrate its 25th birthday. To remember a truly game changing band, and Kurt Cobain, one of music’s best loved anti-heroes, 27 forever.

sábado, 21 de janeiro de 2017

Os Albums Em Cassete Aumentam 74% Nos EU Liderado Pela Trilha De "Guardians"

U.S. Cassette Album Sales Increased by 74% in 2016, Led by c Soundtrack


While the continued return of vinyl rightfully draws a lot of attention, there’s another format that’s on the comeback trail: the cassette. Cassette album sales grew by 74 percent in 2016 with 129,000 copies sold (up from 74,000 in 2015) according to Nielsen Music.
Certainly, 129,000 is a tiny figure compared to the total number of albums and vinyl albums that were sold in 2016. Overall album sales totaled 200.8 million (down 17 percent), while vinyl albums sold 13.1 million (up 10 percent). But, considering that cassettes were effectively a dead format that had little love from audiophiles (unlike vinyl aficionados, who are devoted to the warm grooves of the LP), selling any cassettes at all is a pretty major feat.
Cassettes have seen growth thanks to specialty releases of recent albums, including Justin Bieber’s Purpose and The Weeknd’s Beauty Behind the Madness(each sold nearly 1,000 in 2016), along with reissues of classic albums like Eminem’s The Slim Shady LP (3,000) and Prince and the Revolution’s Purple Rain (2,000). The new cassettes typically come with a code for a digital download of the album, for those consumers who don’t own a cassette player.
In 2016, 25 albums sold at least 1,000 copies on cassette in 2016, compared to just eight in 2015. The top selling cassette album of both years was the Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 soundtrack, with 4,000 sold in each year. In total, the Guardians tape, which was released in 2014, has sold 11,000 copies. (Its sales are no doubt enhanced by how the tape is modeled after the cassette seen in the film.)
A fair number of cassettes in the recent past have been released exclusively to Urban Outfitters, including Bieber’s Purpose and The Weeknd’s Beauty Behind the Madness, along with such titles as the soundtrack to Star Wars: The Force AwakensKanye West’s Yeezus and The 1975’s I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It. Non-traditional music stores, like Urban Outfitters, accounted for 21 percent of cassette album sales in 2016 (27,000). The bulk of cassette albums were sold through Internet and web-based direct-to-consumer settings (43 percent; 55,000), while the rest came from independent retail stores (33 percent; 42,000) and chains and mass merchants (a little under 5 percent; 6,000).
Cassette album sales also got a boost from Cassette Store Day, the retail celebration designed to bolster all things cassette. Last year’s event took place around the world on Oct. 8, and featured a bevy of tapes available exclusively at independent retailers, as well as in-store concerts and promotions.

Nova Fábrica De Vinil Em Miami Em Local Histórico

New Vinyl Plant Opens In Historic Miami Location


The historic appeal of vinyl takes new meaning with the official opening this week of SunPress Vinyl in Miami. The plant, which had a soft launch last month, is housed in the former Final Vinyl factory, founded in the 1970s by reggae pioneer Joe Gibbs and located in Miami’s Opa-Locka neighborhood. 
That SunPress set up shop in Miami was accidental. The pressing plant was supposed to open in Brooklyn, but when the company’s principals went to Miami to purchase pressing equipment at the old Final Vinyl, they found an unexpected piece of history.
“What we found were machines that delivered the immortal sounds of Bob Marley, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, and Toots and the Maytals,” said Dan Yashiv, SunPress’ principal, in a press release.  “And they were housed in the legendary facility that produced records for the world renowned reggae label Studio One. We knew this is where we wanted to begin our operations.”
Yashiv, a recording engineer who’s worked acts like Pet Shop Boys and Britney Spears, founded SunPress Vinyl with film producer Stephen Hays. They've also partnered with Dan Pelson, former EVP of Sony Music. Benji Rogers of direct-to-fan music platform PledgeMusic is on board as an advisor. 
The now fully-remodeled and fully-operational Miami plant has six pressing  machines --five fully automatic and one semi automatic—which can press multi-colored and picture discs. The current turnaround time for orders is six weeks and the plant is working with major and indie labels and artists. 
In an added nod to its historic roots, SunPress entered into a partnership with Bob Marley’s Tuff Gong International, which will press its own catalog and third party releases at SunPress. 
In addition, Headley Haslam, who pressed most of the records during the plant’s Studio One days, has returned to the post he had in the 1970s.