Career Options

     This week in class we read about the different career options you have in the music industry. As I was reading the one occupation that caught my eye was a jingle writer. How cool would that be? A jingle writer writes music for radio, TV, and online video commercials. They have to write a short song or composition about a product or service they are assigned. This profession does not seem easy though. A jingle writer has to be skilled in many musical styles and must be good at song arranging. The composition/song that you write has to be able to reach out to others and be memorable. The lyrics you write are important too. They will have to be relatable to the product and the person who is watching it.
     My favorite jingle is probably the K9 Advantage Commercial. Its been years since I've seen that commercial and I still have the melody and lyrics stuck in my head. The melody is simple and it repeats its self so its easy to sing along to. The lyrics rhyme so they are easy to remember. The factor that appeals to viewers the most though is how the dog is singing it, which makes it even more cute and memorable.
     Having to constantly come of with short catchy songs is no easy task. I've never really thought of what all goes behind making a jingle so reading about this in the book was definitely an eye opener. Although being a jingle writer sounds like a lot of fun, there is a lot of work that goes behind every short song.

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Censorship

This week in Music History we learned about censorship in music. I decided to do some research and learn more about it.

Music censorship dates back to the late 1800s, when Southerners were prohibited from singing Confederate songs after the Civil War ended. In 1940, NBC Radio released a list of 150 songs that radio stations were prohibited from playing because of obscene content. Many use the First Amendment (freedom of speech) to argue against censorship but obscene speech is not protected by it. Artist are allowed to use profanity in their music, radios/tv just cant play it because of the potential exposure to children. A song can be censored by the following: blanking, beeping, resampling, resinging, back masking, repeating, skipping, cutting, disc scratching, distorting, or by not being played at all.

Now, here are some examples of songs that got censored.

"Love Game" - Lady Gaga 

This 2009 hit was not allowed to be played on the radio due to the line "I want to take a ride on your disco stick." Lady Gaga wouldn't censor it because the line was not intended to be subtle and felt that they were being too hard on her.

"My Generation" - The Who 

In 1965 this song was banned from the radio not for it's lyrical content but because it has stuttering in the chorus. BBC prohibited the song from receiving any airplay because they didn't want to offend anyone with a speech impediment. However, once the song became a huge hit, they allowed in to be played. 

"Rolling in the Deep" - Adele 

This song was censored because they couldn't decided if she said the word "shit" or "ship" in the line "Go ahead and sell me out and I'll lay your ___ bare." Many online lyric sites have it as "ship" but Adele had it written down as "shit." Another line in the song that goes "reaching the fever pitch" has been replaced as well by some radios because it sounded like "bitch." 

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Sources: http://www.billingsschools.org/cms/lib3/MT01001765/Centricity/Domain/289/Grade%2010%20-%20Argumentative%20-%20Music%20Censorship%20articles.pdf

http://ncac.org/blog/turn-that-down-40-banned-and-censored-songs/

Promotion

This week in class we've been learning about the music venue business. This Friday the band Striking Matches will be playing at Converse College. The most important part of getting the show ready is promotion. We want to make sure we have a good crowd. I decided to look up different ways to promote a show to help myself and my fellow classmates out. Here are just a few ideas I picked up from different websites.

Gathering the Materials 
Before you start promoting the show, you need all the materials together.

• CD's from the band 
• Band bios and photos 
• Poster for the show 
• Press release for the show 

Make the Contacts 

The next step is building a promotional package to send to local radio stations, newspapers, and tv shows. You need to include where/when the show is and if/when the band is available to interview.

Hype Up the Show on Social Media

Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are the top social media sites used. Using these sites to promote shows will reach to an audience with the average range of people from 18 to 29 years old. 

Run a Contest 

Having a ticket giveaway will help attract more attention and help promote the show. The people who enter the contest and don't win will have a better chance of buying a ticket then those who never entered the contest. 

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http://musicians.about.com/od/musicindustrybasics/ht/firstpromoters.htm

http://www.postano.com/blog/the-social-media-checklist-for-concert-promotion-2

Music Merchandise

This is the blog that was due the 13th (whoops).

While looking up information on merchandising for bands I came across this great website for new bands. Every month they post an advise blog. In March the topic was "20 Things Every Band Should Know About Merchandise." I decided to point out the major points they talked about.

1. Spelling Matters 
Make sure you check, and then double check, your merchandise for correct spelling.

2. Be Creative 
When it comes to your merch you need to think outside of the box. You want to add items to your store that you've never seen before. Don't be afraid to try new things. If it fails, move on to the next.

3. Look At Your Audience 
Know what your fans are wearing and what they are buying more of. What is their look all about? You want it looking more like a clothing brand, not band merch.  

4. Symbols Win 
Putting symbols on your merch will make it memorable. It's important to have a brand and logo for people to identify with.

5. Trust Your Merch To A Trust Worthy Seller 
Being a merch person is not an easy job, so you need to trust the person. They are the first to arrive and the last to leave. They need to stay sober, handle money, keep up stock, and talk with fans/customers.

Source: http://www.rocksound.tv/features/read/20-things-every-band-should-know-aboutmerchandise

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Concert Venues

This week in class we started talking about what all goes into a concert. I feel like one of the important factors that go into a concert is the location. Since I hope to open my own venue one day, I thought I'd look up some of the top concert venues. 

Bowery Ballroom: New York

The Bowery Ballroom was build in the 1920's and has been thriving ever since. Although there are many other music venues in the city, this one is praised for its elite sound system. The venue features musicians of many genres and can hold up to 500 people. The best feature of the building is the balconies where you can get good views. 

Red Rocks Amphitheater: Golden, CO 

The Red Rocks Amphitheater was opened up in the early 1940's. I got to see The Avett Brothers here last year and it was by far one of the best venues I've ever been to. Heres a fun fact: In 1964 when The Beatles came to the U.S they played here at it was the only show of theirs that wasn't sold out. It sits 6,450 feet above sea level and can hold up to 9,450 people. 

The Tabernacle: Atlanta, GA 

The Tabernacle first opened its door over a century ago as The Broughton Tabernacle. After 1966 the church was remodeled into a House of Blues. Many legends played here including The Blues Brothers (their first show when they reunited), Johnny Cash, and James Brown. In 1998 the club was renamed The Tabernacle. One cool feature about this club is the original pipe organ that can be seen from behind the stage. It can hold 2,600 people. 

The Orange Peel: Asheville, NC

The Orange Peel first served as the Skateland Rollerdome in the 1950's. Ten years later it became home to many R&B and Soul clubs. The most popular club that inhabited the space was named The Orange Peel. After three decades of vacancy, the venue reopened in 2002 and stuck with the name The Orange Peel.  It has a good reputation for live shows and is known as one of the best live music clubs in the South. One cool feature is how it has a bar underneath called Pulp. Down there you can relax and drink up while watching on TV instead of battling the crowd upstairs. It can hold 1,110 people. 

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Sun Records

Sun Records is a favorite of mine, so I thought I'd learn more about it and the history behind it. 

Sam Phillips was an American musician, record executive and a music producer. He played a major role in the development of rock and roll music in the 1950s. Phillips started his career in the 1940s as a DJ and Radio Engineer for Music Shoals radio station. The radio station had an “open format” which means that they broadcasted music from both back and white musicians. Working here would later inspired Phillips work in Memphis. 

In 1950 he started his own label called Memphis Recording Service (later named Sun Studio). His slogan was "We Record Anything - Anywhere - Anytime." During the 1950s the black musicians did not have as much opportunity to record as other folks did. Phillips felt it was his responsibility to record them and get their music out to the white population. This is how amateur artists like B.B King, Junior Parker, and Howlin' Wolf ended up recording here. To keep his doors open, Phillips would sell their performances to larger recording labels to make money. He would also record weddings and funerals.

Producing alone didn’t make him much money and he could hardly pay the bills so he decided to cut out the middle man and both produce and distribute the albums himself. In 1952 he launched his own record label called Sun Records.Phillips combine his love for R&B with Country, creating a unique sound. Influential artist like Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash first were discovered by Phillips and first recorded at Sun Records.

The company remains in business as Sun Entertainment Corporation. They currently license its brand and classic hit records to independent reissue labels. Their website sells collectible items as well as compact disc bearing the original 1950s Sun Logo. The only artist to be signed to the label since the 1970's is country musician Julie Roberts. 

Here's a good video to watch if you want to learn more about Sun Records. 

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http://www.sunrecords.com/about

Music Unions

For this weeks blog I decided to write about two popular music unions I discovered.

Boston Musicians' Associations

This union represents over 1,600 professional musicians in the Boston metro area and beyond. Members play a variety of genres including classical music, jazz, latin, and rock. They play in professional orchestras, theatre pits, religious institutions, night clubs, weddings, and parties. They are a branch of the American Federation of Music. Anyone is open to join.

Some of the benefits you get from joining are:

• Democracy in action 
• Contract Guarantees 
• Pension Fund 
• Collective Bargaining Agreements with major employees 
• Livable Wages 
• Audition Notices
• Arts Advocacy 
• Local Referral Service
• National Referral Service 
• Concert listing and promotions 

There is a fee of $145 to become a new member. If you are under 21 or a full-time student, you don't have to a pay the initiation fee. After that you have to pay $44.25 on the first month of each quarter (January, April, July, and October). Members are offered a discount if they pay for the full amount a year in advance. 

American Federation of Music

This union represents over 90,000 musicians with offices in the United States and Canada. They have offices in New York, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and Toronto. They also have a network with more than 240 local unions in cities through out the U.S and Canada. 

Some of the benefits you get from joining are: 

• Contracts/Collective Bargaining
• Pension and Health 
• Insurance Programs 
• Referral Programs 
• Subscription to International Musician 
• AFL-CIO endorsed credit card 
• Immigration help

The fees and dues depend on which local you join in. In New York, the initiation fee is $100 plus the amount quarterly dues depending on when they join (1st month of 1st quarter= $55, 1st month of 2nd quarter= 36.50, 1st month of 3rd quarter= $19). Musician under 21 do not have to pay this fee. Members pay $220 a year. 

Work Dues Include:

• Live Performances- 3.5% 
• Education Service- 2%
• RIMPFT- 5%
• Theatrical Motion Pictures and Sound Recordings- 4.25% 
• Other national non-symphonic Electronic Media Recordings- 4.5% 
• Local Recording Contracts- 4%

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