Posted on January 4th, 2010 — in Marketers Den, Marketing, Music, The Virtual Lifestyle
A recent article in the Observer, a leading British Sunday newspaper, detailed how music known as ‘indie’ has evolved in both essence and meaning. Today, indie’s biggest unsigned bands have the opportunity to reach audiences like never before. With the onset of social media channels, unsigned bands have the platform to go for it without a record label.
But despite the independent in music now having become ingratiated into the mainstream music scene, recent years have seen the resurgence of an underground musical scene in the UK, where unsigned bands and independent record labels reign supreme. The phenomenal success of MySpace has meant that up and coming bands have found it increasingly easy to get heard and build-up a dedicated following via the web, thus creating a solid subculture that plays itself out both virtually and in musical gatherings found off the beaten track.
Moreover, many of Britain’s top summer festivals offer stages for unsigned bands to be heard by hundreds of thousands of new ears - a platform that only a privileged few are allowed to inhabit. The Topman Unsigned Stage at the Carling-sponsored Leeds Festival, for instance, offers unsigned bands from across the UK the chance to play to over 70, 000 people - an opportunity that many bands would be willing to sacrifice a lot for. The T-Break stage at Scotland’s T in the Park festival offers unsigned Scottish bands a similar privilege, allowing the movers and shakers of the local scene to truly shine out in style.
Comments Off
Posted on October 26th, 2009 — in Fun Stuff, Music, Top Entertainment
Belvoir Castle will be having a Fireworks show on Saturday With a beautiful back drop to set things away..
For the second year in a row MLE Pyrotechnics is holding the show in the premise of the Duke of Rutland’s family house with the crowds together acting as judges.
Vanessa one of the organisers, said: “It’s a enjoyable venue where we truly delight setting on an event. The fireworks are all set off from behind the lake and are reflected in the water.”
Visitors will be treated to several companies from across the country contending for that extra wow factor to profit over the audience’s vote.
The firms are Celebration Fireworks from Evesham, Pyromania Displays, Knaphill in Surrey and Spyrotechnics from Chesterfield with all placing on a 10 to 15 minute presentation to music. But the extravaganza doesn’t stop on that point.
prior to the competition there will be a presentation to learn about the different types of pyrotechnics and see how the squads use them to make their remarkable displays that dance to the music.
And while guests are voting the nite will be capped off by a spectacular pyro-musical display by the promoters.
With origins in 2002 this annual event, has seen dramatic success. Such respected titles as British Champions, British Musical Champions and Fireworks Champions has been won by the three lead professional firework companies
And it’s more than fireworks, a Khoom Fay or Sky Lanterns are seen to fill the sky as they softly float in the distance.
Parking and camping is available on site and from 5pm visitors can begin to arrive so bring a picnic or enjoy the solid food and beverage accessible from licensed vendors while relaxing in Belvoir Castles exquisite grounds
Comments Off
Posted on December 12th, 2008 — in Music
Passionato’s objective was to become the entire worlds most likeable classical music web store and it is fair enough to say that Passionato have most definitely attained this. Passionato.com sought after to offer their clientele the leading conceivable assortment of superb quality DRM- free classical music downloads. The webstore has four sub tabs all of which are extremely helpful to classical music followers. These are fresh releases, charts, special offers and critic’s choice.
Passionato was purposely created after noticing a huge gap in the market for classical music downloads. The company have the largest choice of classical music as Passionato at the moment have access to two of the major music label catalogues, Universal Music and EMI Classics. Passionato.com furthermore appreciat entre’e to additional specialist music labels such as Naxos, Chandos, Avie and Arts, all of which is surprising. Click Here for the most popular classical music downloads.
Passionato at the moment have more to offer than just an exciting variety of music. The company have free DRM- Recording these are adaptable to any device and also burnable to CD. You along with this as a customer, also have the option to access for free to the Passionato Player, this has been intended to have you increase and classify your existing Classical CD’s along side which have been bought through the Passionato website.
Comments Off
Posted on May 25th, 2008 — in Music
Many musicians complain about the lack of gigs they have, but
when I ask them to look closely at the type of venue they are
searching, the repeated pattern seems to be clubs, stadiums,
concert halls and pubs. What I would like to share with you is
this… keep a look out and be totally aware of the possible gig
locations so that you’re not limiting yourself. How about
restaurants, parks, malls or my favourite, the local coffee
shops? Coffee shops are the next link in the chain of great
gigs. Depending on the venue, you can drop in several times and
build links with staff and get a feel for the type of customers
that come there. Make it your second residence!
Depending on the type of music, coffee shops represent the
perfect venue for musicians to meet with their perfect audience,
and if they are your right audience, what must your audiences be
doing if they’re not watching you? Drinking coffee 
Coffee shops are great places for people who want a break from
both work and home. It’s like the middle space, or the third
space. I personally like these places because it’s nice and
cosy, allowing you to build deeper relationships with the
crowds.
Something that works day in, day out is the power of repetition.
If people see your name several times, they remember it, and
create a link in their mind. By placing several posters in the
coffee shops where the same people go everytime between home and
work, it becomes something they cannot miss, and they will
definitely remember it. You can guarantee most of them will be
at your event.
So how do you get booked?
Pay attention to the peak and off-peak times at the coffee shop
as you can use this to your advantage really easily. If you play
in the morning when it’s peak time and attract many customers
for the shop, you’ll notice that the lunch area may be very low
in customers, so pitched correctly, you could ask the shop
management if you could play in the afternoon, and attract the
customers that way.
Don’t expect to be paid by the coffee shop management, but one
way to grow your audience is to collect mailing list signups.
This way you can inform them by post or e-mail where you are
performing next because there will definitely want to be a part
of your music.
The most important thing is that you have already built up great
relationships so that you can emphasise how you will bring more
people to their place.
Comments Off
Posted on May 13th, 2008 — in Music
While it probably doesn’t seem like this would help - let’s face it - if you are unwilling to play a lot of wrong notes, you’re never going to learn how to do anything hard. And improvising is hard! It isn’t something that you can do safely, with the assurance that you will look good while trying to get good at it. You won’t look good. You won’t sound good — and the sooner you realize this, the sooner you will be able to do something of real value.
Strangely, we are from a culture that reinforces the idea that we should always look
good. I mean there are actually people who think you should look good when you’re
sick. When you get up in the middle of the night. Or when you haven’t slept for 36
hours.
Get the picture?
So, now that that’s said - what is the best strategy for playing wrong notes and
actually making progress at the same time?
De-emphasizing Note Values
I have found that the best way to start is by de-emphasizing note values - focussing
instead upon rhythm, texture, density and shape. Music is way more than just the
notes you play, and note selection tends to be the very thing that stops people in
their tracks. Thus, my “Wrong Note Strategy.”
The following are possible points of departure for playing wrong notes - properly:
Melodic Shape - Conceptualize a melody - don’t get too specific with notes, but
think only in terms of the overall shape of the line. Does it go up? Does it climb?
Does it jump? If you have a hard time, try creating a melody on your instrument
that is shaped like something else. I think it was John Cage (a rather famous
composer) that used the New York skyline as the basis for a piece of music. My vote
is, if John Cage can do it, we can too.
Density - Think about density. Are there a lot of notes all close together? Or are
they spaced wide apart? Density shape is determined by where there is little space
between notes, and where there is a lot of space. It is applicable melodically,
harmonically and rythmically. I think there are even methods of encoding data that
use this approach (can’t remember the name of it). I figure, if it’s OK for Intel to use
this concept for data, I think it’s OK for us to use it too.
Rhythm - What about a rhythmic approach? What if note values were totally
unimportant, and we thought only percussively about the music? Like using blocks
of notes - dissonances as though playing drums with the keyboard (or whatever)? It
seems to have worked for legions of 20th Century composers, so why not for us?
Texture - How about making sounds - funny sounds - on our instrument? I
remember working with a violinist from the LA Philharmonic, who told me she
couldn’t improvise. I asked if she could make noises. She said, “Oh sure! I like
making really funny noises like this; and this; and this.” We proceeded to “play funny
sounds” for the next hour and a half, experimenting with all sorts of melody,
harmony, rhythm and texture - coming up with some really beautiful stuff, after
which she asked, “was that improvising?” I said, it sure was, and she was totally
changed by the experience.
I love that story, because it really shows that all we really need is permission to play
“wrong” notes. Once we are willing to do that, then we can experiment - often on a
very high level - with the vital textural, rhythmic, shape and density aspects of
music.
It still communicates, it’s genuinely creative, and it really is music.
So play some wrong notes today!
©2000-2005 Ben Dowling, the author of “The Metaphysics of Improvisation” - is a
pianist, composer and an authority on music improvisation and publishes Music-
Improv.com, a web site that provides useful paradigms and practices for musicians
interested in expanding their ability to improvise. Learn more about “The
Metaphysics of Improvisation” and “The Music Continuum” by visiting http://www.music-improv.com
Comments Off
Posted on April 2nd, 2008 — in Music
Your label has just signed a killer band and their record will street in the next six months and it’s your job to get them on the road to tour, promote and sell records. But, being you are a record label, you have no money to promote the tour much less even put the artist on the road. Where do you go from here? You need partners; promotional partners. But, as I mentioned in my last newsletter, the days of simply slapping up banners are long gone. You will have to get creative and deliver a solid value to your promotional partners… an idea that facilitates your needs as well as theirs.
Where to start
Getting good promotional partners takes more than luck. The great Roman philosopher Seneca said “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” The process of preparing to pitch your opportunity to consumer brands is a long road indeed. However, if you adequately prepare your chances of getting lucky will have just increased exponentially.
Seven Quick Steps
Get an agent or somebody who can book the tour.
Set a date when the artist needs to hit the road. Make it at least six months out.
Route the tentative markets and venues. These will definitely change prior to the tour.
Create and introduction letter to potential promotional partners that spells out the opportunity and the creative ideas behind it. For some ideas see “Give People an Experience and They Will Never Forget You” http://multimediary.com/newsletter_July_2005.htm
Create an accurate Demographic Analysis based on Arbitron information. You can easily get this by calling radio station sales reps at radio stations that play music that falls into the genre that your artist is in. Extrapolate this demographic through at least five major markets. You promotional partner will appreciate this.
Perform a Sponsorship Value Analysis to determine the worth of your opportunity. See Determining the value of what you have http://multimediary.com/newsletter_May_2005.htm. There you will find the total process of finding these values.
Create a solid Sponsorship Presentation in Word or PowerPoint. Please feel free to email us to see samples. Also see Creating the perfect partnership http://multimediary.com/newsletter_June_2005.htm. This will give you a few great ideas for your presentation as well.
Now you are ready to hit the streets with your presentation. Pick up the phone and start calling marketing executives at the consumer brands that best represent your artist’s sensibilities.
The Gift That Keeps Giving
If you are so fortunate to find a promotional partner that jumps on board. Take good loving care of them, because you will want then to be your partner for years to come. In a recent study it was found that promotional partners base the success of the partnership at least 50% on the recap that is giving to them after the tour has finished. Take pictures of everything and deliver it to them in a professional presentation. Please see “Was it Good For You Too” promotional recaps http://www.multimediary.com/newsletter_April_2005.htm. If you would like a sample of a recap please feel free to email us for one.
Now you are seriously armed. Take no prisoners and definitely don’t take no for an answer.
Best of luck to you… but you know there is now such thing as luck.
About Multimediary Entertainment Marketing and Thom King
Multimediary was founded by Thom King in late 2001. Multimediary has worked with Virgin Records, Capital Records, and Universal, Warner Brothers, Lions Gate Films and several other major and independent record labels and entertainment production companies. Multimediary has also worked with several consumer brands including: Lifestyles Condoms, Miller Beer, Red Bull, Monster Energy Drink, Dr. Martins, Snapple, Honda Motor Company, British Petroleum, Adidas and more.
King started his career in the broadcast industry where he most recently worked as Regional Vice President of Sales for a division of Clear Channel Worldwide. King was instrumental in helping Clear Channel capitalized on unique opportunities by converging radio, outdoor, venue, and interactive assets into fully integrated campaigns. King parlayed his over 20 years of cutting edge marketing experience to form Multimediary. For more information visit http://www.multimediary.com
Comments Off