Once Upon A Time

Derek G

Once upon a time in the Music realm, there was this chick, oh yea that would be me. This chick LOVES making Videos and attaching Music with them. Ever the student and always learning new stuff this chick ran into the RULES of You Tube Enforcers! They say... "Hey Chick! Stop using this Music or we will shut you down!" Very frightened by the Enforcers of Video and Films she runs to her Friend Derek G, and says "Hey D' what should I do." D' says don't sweat it do your own Music and the Enforcers will shut the hell up. The chick then says, but I don't have any keyboards or technical stuff to do Music. The D' ever so cool and never frazzled threw two links at the chick, one for Sony Vegas and another for Reverbnation, and calmly says go for it, if you need help let me know.  

Reverbnation

A brand NEW world this chick enters full of NEW adventures after working her way up to Sony Vegas for Films and Video and adding Sony Acid [for Music] to her arsenal of creativity. Ever the helpful person, Derek of Feed The Fire Films, was always there for her to help her with developing her craft if she needed it. At that time the chick set up her profile at Reverbnation, and had lots of questions and lots of doubt. Comfortable with the Music she wrote for Film she was never quite comfortable with a format that shared her Music with the world so to say. She wondered if anyone would understand it or like her Music. She also wondered if anyone would really consider her an actual Musician.

And then she met five major Friends that would help her through this amazing process... All of these Friends are accomplished well disciplined Musicians, who not only helped her on her way but, shared her work with their Friends. These kind Musicians are Mike Heartman who was her very first Friend at Reverbnation, Noise Flower, Zaelon, Ryo Utasato, P Eric Bailey [who co wrote her second version of "Somebody Save Me,"] and the ever sought after Beatmistresscait who promoted the hell our of the chick.

From Top Left to Right Mike Heartman, Noise Flower, Zaelon, Ryo Utasato and Beatmistresscait

Is Copyright Infringement Another Way To End International Communications

While working on statistical data for Devotions Recording Artists and getting over a severe case of heatstroke [there is no Global Warming pay no attention to everyone around you having heart infractions] Ryo gave me a call and was very upset and concerned. It would seem Japan is launching a device for the Internet that would create a buffer of sorts that actually spies on it's citizens and secures their download history. With the data obtained, they can now arrest their citizens for "copyright infringement" if what they secure is found to be obtained from Music Sites, ITunes, You Tube, or anywhere that has a "photo," sound-music, or film-video content deemed to be "belonging to the entertainment industry etc." Ohhhhh let me count the many Composer's of You Tube in where You Tube has stated "their song" belongs to said "Industry." Let me count the ways where Film Collaborations go array as well [where two or more are gathered in joy and Bliss, to create wonderful music or film, those overseers on the Internet create more BS...]. But, I digress. Enter...

Anonymous you know those guys with the funny computer voices that rant and rave and don't get much done, yes them. Really they are as bad as the governments themselves sometimes. They are shielded in great mystery and they are the ones that no Government fears... and pretty much no regular person who has laid their bodies on the line [like the 99% of Occupy Wallstreet] take them seriously. But there they were on Japan's side of the Net making empty noises and pretty much scaring the heck out of my Friend Ryo.  So what is really going on with Copyright Infringement, and to what extent is this search real? First let's go to a reputable publication, sayyyyy, I Know "The New York Times" yes... they will do. It would appear that laws are cracking down and are quite severe all over the world. BUT WHO STARTED THIS and WHY!!! "...the Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation seized the Web site Megaupload... [well there goes MY educational classes in Film from SENTIENTMIND] ...and charged seven people connected with it with running an international enterprise based on Internet piracy." 

 

So how to approach this??? What do "honest folks do" who are just trying to make music with one another, teach classes on Adobe or Vegas Pro, or create Seminars where data will be shared...  When the budinskies keep sticking their noses in our work, and determine that it really isn't our work, now what? Joining ASCAP and larger Organizations like BMI greatly help. Here you can get your Licensing and IRSC numbers straight.

You must cover your work as it would seem that even Twitter is on board with allowing privacy intrusions... 

US government leads Twitter data requests ByMatt Warman

The American Government made nearly 700 requests for Twitter user data, compared to just 11 from the UK.

The report follows a long-running, similar process from Google, and reveals for the first time the numbers of government requests received for user information; government requests received to withhold content; and official take-down notices received from copyright holders. 

So will Blogs disappear, will sharing now become a crime, will Indie Music now become a hassle to work with our International Artists Friends from around the world??? It's all quite annoying because now what will happen with the Companies like Native Instruments? Will we, the small Labels and growing Artists, be able to continue to work with them and their "samples?" Or is one more thing going to become "for the elite only?" I'm not sure, what I am sure of is this. Align yourself with bigger guns like ASCAP and BMI and get the IRSC numbers that will protect your work, and if your working with someone it will protect both of you. Music has completely changed over the years, but one thing is true, as I sit here on "Independence Day" and write this... for the USA to involve themselves and entrench themselves so deeply in everyone's business is appalling. Why do I say this? Because we started this crap and it is beyond ridiculous considering it is US Companies that designed "down loadable programs" for Music, Film-Videos, and related Industry products. Was it a trap all along? We will never know, so share.... share like never before. Educate yourself about your own Countries Laws. Educate your Friends. Be aware of what is around you and who really wants to work as a team for the good of everyone in the world. But most of all keep writing Music, it may be our last chance to get something good into the world that last.

DANZ DMA Devotions Recording Artist

Where is the Music Industry Going? By Jerry Banberger

Where is the Music Industry Going?: In order to figure out where the Industry is going, we need to look back to see where it has come from.

My earliest recollection is of 78 rpm platters, pressed on one side, with warnings from my parents, not to touch under pain of severe consequences.

Rock 'n Roll brought us 45's pressed on 7 inch discs, with an "A" side (extensive air play) and "B" side (who ever listened except for the curious?). Tracks hardly ever exceeded 3 and a half or 4 minutes which gave program directors plenty of time for commercials on AM radio. We rushed home from school to watch American Bandstand, and hear the latest releases from the hottest groups.

One day FM radio was born, and along came 12" LP's (33-1/3 rpm). We traded our Hi-Fi's for Stereos, put our 45's in the corner and started collecting albums. We also needed cassette tapes of the same albums to play in our cars, and some of us bought the ill-fated 8-track tapes and players. Some can still be found in yard sales, everywhere.

Disco changed our lives by introducing longer tracks (up to 18 minutes), which didn't seem to bother program directors and DJ's on FM. 12" singles replaced the 7" 45's and along came the wonderful world of Compact Discs, requiring the purchase of yet another piece of equipment, and launching the never ending discussions about Analog vs. Digital. Ah yes, I remember it well.

One glorious day, Mtv showed up on Cable TV, and the record labels supported their major acts with lavishly produced videos, which could be seen in the comfort of your home, or in clubs everywhere, creating the need for another awards show. I'm sure it wasn't legal to do so, but many fans made VHS (or Betamax) copies of their favorite music videos.

Today's age of miniaturization has made it possible for us to store music tracks and videos on an MP3 player that can easily fit into a pocket, with hardly showing a bulge. Everyone with a cam corder and editing software can create a music video and put it up on YouTube for all to see, for free. Record company A & R executives no longer need to go to showcase venues, which seem to be fewer in number, to search for new artists. It's all just a click away.

So what's next... Mental Telepathy?

Research and Devlopment in the World Called The Internet

Success, what is it in relation to the Internet? On Facebook it may be the number of Friends, Likes, Groups like "I Like It" where Andrew Skelton's Radio Show is followed heavily by, or Shares. On You Tube it is the Subscribers and Film-Video hits. On Internet "Shows" it is carrying an Audience of Listeners. But what is success for Blogs?

Two performance levels gauge Blogs. If advertisers are interested in attaching to the Blogs (click through rates are shown in both Google Analytics and Google Adsense also dealt with by Google). And if Readers find the Blogs to their liking and further subscribe. So ya have this "Blog." Most find Blogs irritating at best and non-relational to their needs at most, ohhhhh not good. Why do certain Blogs rock the Blogisphire charts and others plummet into oblivion? Writing is key to Blogging, if your a good Writer and can convey your thoughts well, you should do ok. If it's just blaa-blaa-blaa for the sake of getting out "whatever" then no your Blog is boring. Enter what most folks do not do!!!! RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT! 

The phrase research and development (also known as R and D or R&D), according to the OECD, refers to "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications".^[1]

Research and development is often scientific or toward the development of particular technologies and is frequently carried out as corporate or governmental activity.

Ok that's a bunch of blaa, blaa, blaa let's break this down. A) GOOD WRITING... Your a good Writer so ya pass the first step of "being able to convey your message well to others, without being able to speak to them directly [remember this is a Blog-Writing] the readers cannot hear your intentions." What is need now is B, C, D, and E so let's hit it!

If A) is being a good Writer... then B is simple.... Knowledge, be knowledgeable about what your talking about. RESEARCH what you do not know! RESEARCH your Audience! Develop very strongly your Knowledge Base about said topic. 

Face it it's quite embarrassing when a friend ask you to share something, and you don't want to because it's all over the place. This goes right into C) DEVELOPMENT: Creative Development. This is just not for Business, this is for Artists everywhere no matter their craft. What's your Audience like, more Graphics, some Videos, some core substantiation that you know what the hell your talking about? All of these "emotional gauges" [because Blogs that are successful touch the mind and heart] also play into presenting a good Blog where your Readers are not bored out of their minds! So get with understanding how to connect with Film-Video Makers, Writing Coaches, and Graphic Artists to spruce thing up a bit. Develop - develop - develop your CONCEPT'S INTENTIONS.

Yes this leads right into D) CONCEPT and it's INTENTION if you walk into an Art Gallery the Concept will either attract you or push you away... why? It goes to the bottom-line what is the Intention of the show? What is the Concept and your Intention of the Blog? It should be quite evident from it's presentation from Banner to Side Bar Information to Articles themselves. A Blog is like a Gallery of Events. Only Written. Which leads to the Final step E...

E) CONNECTION-KEY WORDS.  If your not placing you name in your Key Words, then your asking Google to leave you in the dust of "key words that die along the wayyyyy." Your Name is a Brand, your Companies Name is a Brand, if your a Label YOUR ARTISTS are a BRAND. Therefore to get those little Spiders attention the body of your story should include the key words of the Topic and include related Brands or Affiliates to the Brand. I.E: Andrew Skelton is a Devotions Recording Artist. His Affiliation is not only with Devotions Recording but "I Like It" on Facebook because of his Radio Show hosted and pushed by "I Like It" on Facebook. So my intention is set towards the end of this Article, as well as it's information. Here at the end is when I set the intention into the Spider world of Google with Key Words, I connect further and attach to larger Articles of this nature to mine with backlinks and Key Words. 

And now I will connect even further to this wonderful man with one of his Songs, realizing that if the readers enjoy the full package of information of the Article, they may enjoy even further the Music of Andrew and yes there might even be a sale for him. You see my readers know that because they have followed the Articles here and elsewhere and particularly know my style of writing and presentation. So for you new readers EnJoY have Fun and links are always provided if you enjoy a Devotions Recording Artist.

ANDREW SKELTON AT DEVOTIONS RECORDING

ANDREW SKELTON'S FULL MUSIC PRODUCT LINE 

ANDREW SKELTON'S RADIO SHOW

ANDREW SKELTON'S AFFILIATE "I LIKE IT" ON FACEBOOK