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NIIICE! Checkout "Amadi Jae" rockin' that "dO More Say Less" in this music video! #IdOMusic Get your exclusive #Patchwerkswag at http://www.patchwerkstore.com/
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Are you "getting to work" with your music career, or have you stopped and you're waiting for someone else to do it for you?
DON'T STOP!! GET TO WORK!
- Music: Are you performing the song you love, or the song your audience loves?
- Image: Do you represent well? Do people see the artist you claim to be?
- Stage Plan: Song choice, band or track, dancing or dancers, styling for stage...
- Audience: Getting them there, connecting, engaging, creating followers vs. watchers.
- The Cost: Have you considered the relationship between the artist you are and the person you are? Does it really work for the success of your music plans? Can it work?
See ya Saturday!
DON'T STOP! "Get To Work"
April Showers
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On September 2nd, Patchwerk Recording Studios' annual music seminar, Music University, will kick off at 11am. Four information-packed music classes that cover Business Management, Marketing, Studio Etiquette, and a listening Lab will happen throughout the whole-day event in our A-studio. Here are a few of the panelists you can expect to here from at this year's event...
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How can you possibly not love the streaming music service known as Spotify? They boast 32.8 million registered users at the end of 2011 according to The Journal. Spotify, which came to the United States a year ago, is available in 15 countries and is expanding quickly. It offers streams of millions of songs free, with advertising, or without ads for monthly subscriptions of about $5 to $10. Last month, the company said that 15 million people logged on each month and that four million were paying subscribers, but it did not break those numbers down by country. That is kind of impressive.
Musicians who may side eye the service really need to do their research and support. I've listed 5 reasons Spotify is not to be denied.
#1. Growing Consumer Preference for Streaming Media
While many in the music industry have finally come to accept paid MP3 downloads, a growing number of consumers have already moved past the paid download model and prefer streaming media. Sadly, there is a whole generation of consumers that are not used to paying for recorded music at all. Those who want to own music can simply choose to pirate any and every song they desire.
Streaming typically provides much easier access to music then downloads. The first place my middle school age kids and their friends go to check out a new band they’ve heard about is not iTunes but YouTube. And these kids strongly prefer a smartphone, iTouch or iPad as their primary way to access the web and media.
Spotify’s ability to seamlessly stream their catalog of music plus an individual’s MP3 collection to smartphones comes very close to giving music fans what they’ve always wanted, unlimited and instant access to the world’s music.
Give consumers what they want and they will gladly pay for it.
#2 Discoverability
An indie musician’s number one challenge, without a doubt, is the opportunity to be heard by potential fans. Spotify makes it easy for users to discover new music and check out the latest music recommendations from friends or bloggers. Spotify users have virtually no obstacles to checking out bands they’ve heard about or have even a minor interest in hearing. Removing obstacles to music discovery is a good thing for indie musicians. Having your music heard is the first step towards building a new fan relationship.
Although the details are still emerging, Spotify’s new partnership with Facebook initially seems to represent an unprecedented opportunity for indie musicians to be heard. The ability of 700 Million Facebook users to easily share their favorite songs, albums, bands and playlists with their Facebook friends could potentially turn out to be a much more powerful publicity tool than any influential magazine, radio station, disc jockey or TV show in the history of the recorded music industry.
#3 Monetization
The Spotify monetization story for indie artists is a struggle. Royalties on a per stream basis for indie artists are anemic at best. However, if Spotify successfully gains mass consumer adoption the royalty payouts can potentially become meaningful for many artists.
Additionally, If Spotify can successfully ramp up their user base I fully expect to see them add additional user features such as personalized tour alerts and the ability to buy concert tickets and /or band merchandise. Should these types of end user features be added in the future they can certainly help generate incremental revenue for indie artists.
#4 Monthly Reoccurring Revenue Models Rock (in the long run)
It is possible for a reoccurring monthly revenue model like Spotify’s to potentially generate a superior customer lifetime value metric for the recorded music industry than the current pay per unit pricing model approach. Consumers that pay $10 / month, every month for unlimited access to music will ultimately end up paying more of their disposable income for music than today’s average music consumer that purchases recorded music on a per unit basis.
Keep in mind there are currently 70 Million smartphones users in the United States. If Spotify gains a double-digit adoption rate among smartphone users their monthly reoccurring revenue model can generate substantial and long-term music industry revenues and creator royalties.
#5 The Majors Labels Do Not “Own” Spotify
It’s important to know that the major labels only have a minority ownership position in Spotify. There are several published reports citing a combined 18% ownership stake for the major labels. This equity position was no doubt one of the requirements for Spotify’s access to the major label music catalogs.
From a corporate governance perspective control of a company typically requires a minimum 51% ownership of all outstanding shares. Even if the major labels have board level representation they have no authority over the company’s day-to-day operations.
Additionally, most start-up and high growth technology companies like Spotify do not pay dividends to their shareholders even when they eventually become profitable. Like their other investors, until Spotify goes public or is acquired it is unlikely the major labels will be generating any significant cash flow from the company (outside of their per stream royalties).
Source: KnowTheMusicBiz
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If for some reason you aren't registered with a PRO(Performing Rights Organization) I advise you to make a change TODAY!! The great news is you have options but may not know the benefits of each one. We have listed info about ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC below. After reading you can make your decision and hopefully this will assist you with the process to get paid!
PROs are “societies responsible for collecting income on behalf of songwriters and music publishers when a song is publicly broadcast.” That means PROs track down cash for you when your music is played on television and AM/FM airwaves, through internet radio services like Pandora, at a club, inside a restaurant, or publicly broadcast in some other fashion. These places and stations pay fees to PROs, who in turn pay their registered songwriters, most of whom are owed more money than they know.
ASCAP, The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers
Launched: 1914
Official site: http://ascap.com
Location: New York, London, Miami, Puerto Rico, Los Angeles, Nashville, Atlanta
Vitals: With a 410,000-strong membership of composers, songwriters, lyricists, and music publishers, this non-profit is, according to its website, the only American PRO created and controlled entirely by composers, writers, and publishers in music—its Board of Directors is elected by its members. “A music creator is like a small business,” reads ASCAP’s website, “and ASCAP exists to ensure that music creators are paid promptly when their works are performed publicly.”
Notable affiliates: Justin Timberlake, Vampire Weekend, Duke Ellington, Dave Matthews, George Gershwin, Stevie Wonder, Beyonce, Marc Anthony, Henry Mancini
Fee: One time, nominal fee of $35 as a writer, and $35 as a publisher.
Pay Schedule: Click here for ASCAP’s writer and publisher pay schedules
BMI, Broadcast Music, Inc.
Launched: 1939
Official site: http://bmi.com
Location: Nashville, New York, Los Angeles, London, Atlanta, Miami, Puerto Rico
Vitals: Founded by radio executives as a non-profit, BMI now boasts more than 475,000 members, and is, according to its website, the most “technologically advanced” and “streamlined” performance rights organization. “Underlying everything BMI does is its philosophy,” reads the BMI website, “an open-door policy that welcomes songwriters, composers and music publishers of all disciplines, and helps them develop both the creative and business skills crucial to a career in music.” Check out Songtrust’s Q&A with BMI’s Associate Director of Writer Relations, Brandon Haas, here.
Notable affiliates: Mariah Carey, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Eminem, Rhianna, Maroon 5, Sam Cooke, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton
Fee: “No fees or dues are required for songwriters and composers,” they say, but to join as a publisher, there’s a $250 application fee.
Pay Schedule: BMI pays royalties quarterly—as long as royalties exceed $2—and encourages direct deposit. If royalties do not exceed $2, they roll over to the next quarter.
SESAC
Launched: 1930
Official site: http://sesac.com
Location: New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, London, Nashville
Vitals: As the smallest PRO in the U.S., SESAC has has a selective affiliation process and seeks to signs writers who are professional and serious about their writing career, which they say allows for “personal relationships” between affiliates and the SESAC staff. “With an international reach and a vast repertory that spans virtually every genre of music, SESAC is the fastest growing and most technologically adept of the nation’s performing rights companies,” reads the SESAC site. Note: the SESAC abbreviation is, today, meaningless; the organization was originally founded to serve European composers underrepresented in America before branching out to become a full service PRO.
Notable affiliates: Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond, Cassandra Wilson, Rush, MGMT, Mumford and Sons (via PRS).
Fee: None.
Pay Schedule: Quarterly. (January 1—March 31, distributed ~June 30; April 1—June 30, distributed ~September 30; July 1—September 30, distributed ~December 31; October 1—December 31, distributed ~March 31)
Source: Songtrust
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Okay so you ready to put a visual behind that amazing track you have right? The fans have been asking for it and you're ready to deliver. Unfortunately that budget is a little bit on the broke side of things. Let us expand on how the artist/director relationship werks!
Some artist will pick a director based off their treatment. It is important to view the full body of work. There are many who are great writers but not the best of executors. Don't let the money be the reason you couldn't fully communicate your message to your audience.
The willingness to collaborate on both sides is one of the most important things. Once you’ve made the match, as an artist, you have to have a lot of trust and be able to let go and let the director realize his/her vision. And the director also has to realize that this is a representation of the artist/band’s song, and they have to be willing and able to collaborate with that band. It’s hard sometimes for bands to allow directors to set visual to their music. Because, when artists are writing a song, a lot of times they have a very visual idea of what a video might look like, but it’s very often a two-way collaborative process.
Think about looking on some of the music blogs and look at the new videos that are being made. The level of difficulty increases by 10 when you can only reference videos by Hype Williams and Spike Jonze that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, that they saw when they were 15. It is a good look to check out sites like Pitchfork and Video Static – the places that show new music videos – and see things being done in budget ranges that are very realistic. I think if you’re an artist getting into video, that’s a good way to educate yourself and see what’s out there. It can serve as a great table for what may be necessary.
What is also really important is to be open. A lot of times bands will come with a written treatment that outlines, shot by shot, exactly what they want. The problem with doing that is they don’t understand what things cost or how things are executed. Bands need to let go a little bit and be open to where the video can go visually instead of putting themselves inside a very rigid box.
Technology has been both a gift and a curse. A gift considering the type of things you can do in post production now. On the opposite end of that is it's made things a lot cheaper to execute. It’s very hard to watch such amazing, creative work being done and seeing people not always being well compensated for it. Directors work long hours, put their hearts and souls into the process and often make just a few thousand dollars (or less) on some of the videos.
Instead of shooting scenes from NY to LA why not settle for whatever is in your backyard. Definitely no need to waste money on travel expenses. It is a bonus if you near a city such as New York, L.A, Atlanta and other cities that are production hubs. The idea of working with what you have instead of with what you don’t have is actually really important. A lot of artists have platinum taste, but a silver budget. Some of my favorite videos have been some of the cheapest created! Maybe not everyone agrees but the lower the budgets are, the more creative you have to be. Everybody really pitches in. That can bring about some of the most amazing work ever.
At the end of the day you have to be honest with yourself. If the funds aren't looking right, then you know asking for a star studded video is out of order. It will be necessary to give your director time to brainstorm and create some magic.
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The use of social networks is a must in today's world of music. In order to gain the most exposure it is necessary to be active on all mediums possible. The one that can make the world of difference has to be YouTube. 3 billion hours of video are watched monthly so if you aren't sharing, nobody is caring!
It matters not what your role is in the music business. A YouTube Channel is necessary! It's free to sign up, easy to create a profile, and can share things across the world in a matter of seconds. Acts such as Justin Bieber utilize the power of YouTube to launch their careers. Check out the list of other notables who did the same thing!
If you are new to the field or just need some tips on how to get more out of the experience check out what we have listed below.
Five Tips For Sharing Success
1. Brand Your Channel
You customise your Facebook fan page, and Twitter profile. You should make sure you take the opportunity to brand your YouTube channel. Walmart is one company who’ve really taken advantage of the customisation features. Keeping a consistent brand identity across all your social media pages is a great way to make you instantly recognisable. If you’re a business or an artist, you need to stand out from the crowd. Making your channel stand out is one of the ways to do this.
2. Sharable Content
The key to YouTube success is uploading videos that people will share. Upload content that people want to see, and you’ll be able to reap the benefits. If you’re an artist, why not upload a cover of the ‘song of the moment’ to help raise your profile? If you’re selling instruments, make your promotional videos interesting. Relate them to something current, and put your own unique spin on them. Whatever your role in the music business, make sure the content you put out there is unique, exciting, and entertaining.
3. Tag Your Videos
Like Pinterest, Flickr, and your blog; YouTube has a ‘tag’ feature, and you should be making the most of it. Make sure to tag your video with anything and everything that is relevant – including any slang terms (e.g. if your video is about a dog tag ‘pooch’ too). This will increase the visibility of your video. The more visible the video, the more likely it is to be shared. You should also make the most of the YouTube categories, placing your content in the most relevant places. This again, will help make sure the right people see your videos.
4. Regular and Consistent Updates
Social media is a great way to raise your profile, and build a fan base. But it doesn’t happen overnight. So if you’ve worked hard to build up a YouTube community, you should make an effort to regularly update the channel. You should also make an effort to reply to as many comments as you can. Obviously if you have thousands of subscribers this may be impossible. You should however, make sure you have an obvious and active presence.
5. Analyse Your Analytics
YouTube offers free analytics through its ‘insights’ feature. You can quickly and easily see loads of valuable information about every video you’ve uploaded. This includes a demographic overview of the people who’ve viewed your video, and how they found you. This will help you when it comes to creating future content so make sure you use this feature. Making Your Mark on YouTube As a music business, you really should maintain an active YouTube presence. Creating, building, and maintaining your own channel is a great way to share your content, connect with your audience, and promote your business. By following these steps, you should be able to seamlessly integrate YouTube into your current social media strategy.
Source: MusicBizAcademy
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A congratulations goes out to one of our clients, DJ Holiday, on the launch of his show on Atlanta's newest hip hop station called Streetz 94.5! He started his reign Monday September 24th and will rock the airwaves weekly from 6pm-10pm.
DJ Holiday is the official DJ for the 2012 BET HIP HOP Awards, founder of the Commission Music Group, and is also widely known for his Holiday Season mixtapes. Holiday’s keen ear has been instrumental in catapulting the careers of mainstream rap artists including Gucci Mane, Wacka Flocka and Nicki Minaj. He also spins at the hottest venues in Atlanta, and is often traveling domestically and internationally to host nightclubs and private events. DJ Holiday’s fan base has grown consistently over the years with over 100,000+ fans on social media (Twitter: @DJHoliday), and he plans to usher in a new generation of radio personalities as the forerunner for Streetz 94.5.
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Interested digital music startups will have the opportunity to pitch their company or product to a panel of judges on stage during the conference, with one being named the winner at the conclusion of the event.
Check it out! http://www.billboardevents.com/futuresound/fs-innovators-showcase
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Attenchun. Bone Crusher Presents A Nationwide Groundbreaking Contest For Independent Rappers and Singers, Giving The Winners A Guarantee On His Soundtrack and Video
ATLANTA, Georgia – (Saturday, September 29th, 2012) Grammy nominated, American Music Award nominee and Actor “Mr. Never Scared” himself is back! Bone Crusher will be announcing Crush Da Stage, a nationwide competitive search for singers and rappers that will be held here in Atlanta at sponsoring Patchwerk Studios, 1094 Hemp Hill Ave NW Atlanta, on September 29th, from 11:30am – 12:30pm. The following day, Sunday, September 30th, from 12pm – 4pm, the kickoff of the very first nationwide independent artist contest to feature an artist on a soundtrack, begins. The event will be hosted at Ashley Reid’s new Plat4m Studio, 659 Auburn Ave Suite #252 Atlanta.
Bone Crusher is back! However from what we see he never quite left us. You’ve seen him in movies such as Trois 3, Motives 2, ATL and shows such as Celebrity Fit Club and Iron Chef America. He has recently launched a new company, the Mahatma Group, “Home of the Great Souls.” His new artist brings the same vibe that his upcoming soundtrack boasts. . . Innovation and the sense of something fresh.
This groundbreaking event will be giving independent singers and rappers across the nation the opportunity to be featured on his new soundtrack along with such artists as T.I., Bun B, Angie Stone, Too Short, Bilal, Marsha Ambrosius, Jill Scott, 8 Ball, The Reeza Brothers, Beenie Man, Arrested Development, Grenique, B Money and many more. The Mahatma Group will be releasing the soundtrack to the documentary in 2013.
They are requesting the media cover the Crush Da Stage opening kickoff event on September 29th at Patchwerk Studios. To find out more information, please visit www.crushdastage.com
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Still not on that Instagram hype yet? You may want to rethink that considering user adoption for the billion-dollar company (now valued at $735 million in correlation with Facebook’s stock) has been on the rise as of late. Stats and figures released by comScore indicate that Instagram surpassed Twitter for the first time in daily active users on mobile during the month of August. Instagram saw 7.3 million daily mobile users, while Twitter had 6.9 million. Twitter did end up having more total unique visitors in August than Instagram overall, with 29 million vs. Instagram’s 21 million visitors. However, comScore reports that fewer of them returned on a daily basis and that Twitter visitors spent less time on average viewing content than visitors to Instagram. Each of Instagram’s mobile users spent an average of more than four hours consuming content on the platform, while Twitter’s users spent an average of a little less than three hours.
The data from comScore also shows that Instagram’s daily active user count has gotten ten times larger in just six months, when it had 886,000 daily active visitors back in March. While Twitter’s mobile user numbers have also increased, they don’t compare to Instagram’s growth (granted the latter is a younger company, but impressive numbers nonetheless).
Source: comScore
It is important to note, however, that comScore’s data factors in visits to the apps and websites of Instagram and Twitter from iOS, Android and BlackBerry mobile devices. What it does not track are the number of active users who visit websites from a non-mobile device, which would undoubtedly put more leverage back in Twitter’s corner.
The takeaway from the data? Instagram simply works and carries with it undeniable mobile engagement levels. For those not yet utilizing the platform for fan engagements, now may be the time to consider jumping on the bandwagon.
Source: Hypebot
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